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Shark Awareness Day

The Shark Fever in Shark Awareness Day

Today is a big day for the most deadly creatures lurking the ocean deep. Make way for it is Shark Awareness Day. It is created to spread awareness about the danger to sharks. Shark kills lesser humans than humans to sharks. There are around 400 species of sharks around the world and some are becoming extinct. Sharks can detect the even small drop of blood in the ocean from a long distance. However, they are a significant predator in the food chain which makes them a fascinating creature.

Most species of sharks are carnivorous, feeding on fishes, crustaceans and even on seals and dolphins. Sharks are cunning hunters, but they are not picky in their eating habit. In spite of their strength and aggressiveness sharks population are continually declining due to various threats mainly because of human activities. Sharks play a critical role in maintaining the food chain by removing all weak animals from the ocean and keeping the sea population healthy, and fit.

Photo source: pexels.com

Did you know?

Sharks protect the world from climate change- sharks prey on small sea creatures feasting on sea grass. It releases huge amounts of carbon in the atmosphere.

Sharks have jelly in their snouts that has highest proton conductivity of any biological material ever found.

These predators are older than the dinosaurs – They emerged around 420 million years ago, whereas dinosaurs first appeared about 230 million years ago.

Sharks have personalities – In a recent study, scientists tested them in four different scenarios. They found specific sharks always reacted in the same ways. While some sharks were found to be shyer and easily stressed. On the other hand, others were found to be consistently bold and less stressed.

Sharks will become smaller and less efficient hunters in the future due to climate change – Warm waters cause sharks to have increased energy needs and reduced metabolic inefficiency. It also destroys their ability to hunt through smell, leading to reduced growth rates.

Why do we need to save sharks?

Sharks play a vital role in the oceans in a way that the average fish does not. Most sharks serve as top predators at the pinnacle of the marine food pyramid. Directly or indirectly they regulate the natural balance of these ecosystems. They usually hunt old, weak or sick prey. Because of this, they help to keep the prey population in good condition, healthy and strong, enabling these more naturally fit animals to reproduce and pass on their genes. The effects of removing sharks from ocean ecosystems, although complex and rather unpredictable, are very likely to be ecologically and economically damaging.